Paintball Wedding – Jenny 57

[For a quick guide go here: Quick guide.]

[There's some back story here: Story so far at 30 Nov 2020 and read more recent Jenny episodes maybe this one.]

[Other back story through in-links.]

“Well, there’s one good thing about it,” said Jenny. “At least we don’t have to worry about reducing the numbers of people who we can invite.”

She was sat at a picnic table in the park. Peter and Jude sat at one end with a sleeping Astra in her pushchair with the cover over. Helen sat at the other end, underneath an umbrella, scowling occasionally, smiling occasionally and sometimes just whisked away from the conversation by something that was happening on her phone. She has a notepad, pen and set of pencils and was doodling alongside the conversation, as well as writing down the occasion important point.

“I was thinking it might be early to start planning though,” said Peter.

“Ohh, it’s never too early to start planning a wedding,” said Helen, teasingly and looking up. “Think of all the things you need to consider. And all the things that could go wrong and completely destroy the day if you don’t think about it now.”

“Thanks, Helen but it’s not quite that bad,” said Jenny. “I just thought it might be nice to start considering these things. You know, it’s all part of the enjoyment. The preparation for the day.”

For some reason Peter seemed less than convinced that this would be an enjoyable process, but Jude was quite happy to consider it. “We have had some ideas,” she said. And she and Peter passed a look between each other.

“When we talked about this before,” started Jenny, addressing Jude mainly, “You thought it would be nice if your mates were able to wear their normal clothes, didn’t you? Is that still what you think?”

Again, Jude and Peter looked at each other in a way that Jenny couldn’t quite fathom. 

“Kind of… gothic?” smiled Jenny, almost hopefully.

“Gothic…” echoed Helen, writing it down.

“Thing is,” began Peter, “we were thinking about changing things up a bit…”

“Oh yes?” asked Jenny, hoping she didn’t sound as nervous about this as she suddenly felt.

“We were thinking, given that I’m only just sixteen and need your consent and stuff to get married then maybe a traditional wedding isn’t for us?”

Jenny noted she never really thought anything traditional was for them and encouraged them to carry on.

“And this will be just after the exams – or whatever the exams look like, anyway at the end of school,” said Peter. “So we thought we could, you know, turn up the fun a bit.”

“Well, I certainly didn’t think it would be a stuffy affair,” said Jenny. “Obviously it has to be something that you’re excited about so…”

“We’re excited about paintball,” said Jude.

“Paintball,” affirmed Peter. And he grinned.

“Paintball?” said Jenny, vaguely.

“Paintball,” echoed Helen, writing it down.

“Because marriage is a bit like paintball, really,” said Peter.

Jenny didn’t say anything. And decided she really didn’t need to. Which she didn’t as Peter carried on anyway.

“You know, you’re getting fired on by people here there and everywhere and you need someone who’s got your back and is on your side and…”

“…can hold the baby while you’re shooting someone else?” suggested Helen.

“There is that,” said Peter.

“The baby isn’t…” began Jenny.

“No the baby isn’t,” said Peter shooting a look at Helen. “Maybe one of you could..? While we…?”

“And I reckon my mates could absolutely slaughter Peter’s,” put in Jude with a wicked grin.

“So in this paintball scenario you’re on opposing teams?”

“Yeah,” said Peter and Jude, together.

“So you won’t actually have each other’s backs,” Jenny pointed out.

“Well,” said Peter, “It’s just a metaphor, you know? Obviously we’re not really fighting each other.”

“Apart from during the paintball session,” clarified Jude.

“But it’s just paintball,” said Peter.

“A metaphor,” said Jenny.

“A metaphor,” echoed Helen, writing it down.

“I, I don’t know what to say,” said Jenny. “Is this still a wedding? Or just…?

“It’s a wedding type thing,” said Peter. 

“But mainly it’s paintball,” admitted Jude.

Jenny tried again to ascertain whether they’d actually be officially together after the paintball game – as in holding a piece of paper that said they were married. Or were they just going to be holding a piece of paper that said they’d been paintballing? And consequently did this mean they needed to find an official who could take the service at the paintball location and indeed, should such a thing exist, did they need to find a paintball location licensed for wedding ceremonies.

“I knew you'd understand," smiled Peter to Jenny. "And you're right, it’s nice to start considering these things and work out what’s possible. So maybe you could look into it for us?”